


After the End

by lightningrani



Series: CFSWF 2015 [2]
Category: Cosmere - Brandon Sanderson, Stormlight Archive - Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Apocalypse, Alternate Universe-Tien Lives, Angst, CFSWF, Character Death, Gen, it's also an apocalypse, so... the whole world dies?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-07
Updated: 2015-07-07
Packaged: 2018-04-07 17:53:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4272561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lightningrani/pseuds/lightningrani
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the whole world is destroyed by Odium, only one person remains. He's not enjoying it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	After the End

**Author's Note:**

> Someone pointed out that my endnote comment for my [my last fic ](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4258467)was kind of incorrect, since Tien probably didn't survive.
> 
> Look, I fixed it!
> 
> You don't need to read the previous story to get what's happening. Relevant pieces: Dalinar Kholin is Brightlord of Hearthstone, and Kaladin was sent to study surgery in Kharbranth. Also, some may view the end as being a bit... crackish.

Tien knew they would get out of this alive. 

They were huddled in the basement of the Brightlord's house; even in his drunkness, he was kind enough to protect the ones he ruled. Tien and his family were one of the many families hiding there; after hearing the news of the Everstorm, they did everything they could do to prepare. The basement held supplies, medicine, everything they could possibly need to survive.

And, for a while, it seemed to work. The worst that happened were items falling to the ground, their clattering adding to the roars of the outside storm. No one was badly hurt, or, at least, not to the point where Father had to step in. Tien knew that they would survive. He fingered some of the rocks he was able to smuggle in his pockets. These rocks were good luck. He knew it.

They couldn't hear the shouting through the door. It wasn't obvious what happened until the door slammed open.

Tien looked around, his eyes widening. A lighteyes staggered into the room, Shardplate cracked all over, and bleeding from multiple wounds. It looked like one of the Brightlord's sons, though Tien wasn't sure; they rarely interacted with the darkeyes in the town.

"They came," he breathed, blood trickling out of the corner of his mouth. "From the storm. I'm the last one left. Storms..." He fell to the ground into a heap. Father didn't move, which meant... the lighteyes was dead.

"Mother," Tien whispered, though his voice seemed to echo through the room, "what was the lighteyes talking about?"

"Not now Tien," Mother replied, as she looked around. "Does anyone here know how to fight with a spear?" 

"It wouldn't matter, Hesina," Father replied, eyes distant. "How can we fight against Voidbringers? Storms," he whispered, "and I always thought they were myth."

"Lirin, we need to stay strong. For Tien's sake." Mother gave him a small, worried smile in Tien's direction. "We'll get out of this alive."

Tien touched his rocks again. Maybe they would survive, if his rocks could bring him enough luck. 

Some of the men - the ones who had some training fighting - went to the front, as the last line of defense. They equipped themselves with whatever they could find: sticks, brooms, anything in the shape of a spear. Tien huddled in the back with his parents, his father prepping to treat the wounded.

Then the monster came in, and everyone started to scream. The men in the front scattered, dropping their weapons so they could run faster. Father and Mother pushed Tien behind them, to protect him from the monster. 

The last thing he could remember were the sound of his parents' screams as he clutched the rocks in his pocket. They would survive. They would -

**

Tien was pretty sure that this wasn't the Traquiline Halls.

He was floating in the air, surrounded by utter darkness, only broken up by specks of lights. Below him was a round ball. As he watched, a large grey cloud swept over the world. Red lightning flashed through the clouds at random intervals. Tien frowned. That sounded a lot like what Mother told him of the Everstorm.

Mother... But when he looked around, he was the only one there. Why did the Almighthy decide to put him here, away from his family? His hand drifted to his pockets, seeking reassurance. His rocks were still here. Maybe they did bring him good luck?

When he looked back at the planet, the cloud was gone. Tien wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. He wasn't even sure if his parents were alive, considering his last memory. He attempted to move closer to the ball, back to his parents, but the Almighty decided to keep him suspended in mid-air. Tien shouldn't second-guess the Almighty, so he stopped struggling and waited.

It was then that he noticed small cracks appearing on the planet. The cracks grew thicker and thicker until the whole planet looked like the chasms in the Shattered Plains. And then the planet imploded. The land between the cracks turned to dust, and it collapsed onto itself, the dust becoming smaller and smaller until there was nothing left. 

By the time his home was gone, Tien's face was covered in tears. Any hope of returning home, to Mother, to Father, to Kal, it was all gone. All of his friends were gone. Everything he knew was gone. What was he going to do for the rest of his life? Float here forever alone, starving to death?

_Child_. 

Tien whipped around, but he could see no one. "Who are you?"

_Who else could I be, young one? I ruled your planet, before it was destroyed._

His eyes widened. It was the Almighty. "Why did you pick me? I'm just an apprentice."

_A child, pure of heart, does not deserve to die like that. If I could have saved more, I would have._

"Almighty, what am I supposed to do? There's nowhere for me to go." Tears slid down his face once more. "Am I supposed to float up here, forever?"

A laugh echoed through his mind.  _Oh, child, of course not. Here, let me show you your new home._

Suddenly, Tien was floating next to a red planet, clouds covering its surface. _Here I will teach you what you need to know, little one. There is much we need to do to rebuild your home._ _  
_

"But how, Almighty? How will you do that?"

_There are other places like your home, other worlds with people on them. Not this planet, no - this is a place of learning. But other worlds have the materials we need to rebuild. Why, there is a planet nearby with people like you! After I teach you what you know, we will visit there first._

"Does that mean I'm going to be a Herald?" Tien whispered, awe evident in his voice.

The Almighty laughed.  _Exactly like the Heralds, child._ _You would do them proud._


End file.
